Hi all, A look at radar images this morning proves some birds made the flight north overnight. A looming area of instability courtesy of a slow moving cold front is over the Gulf of Mexico. Stormy weather continues to brew and should be making it really hard for migrants that are attempting a Gulf passage this morning. Migrant traps along the west coast of Florida and the panhandle may have the best chances of seeing a concentration of migrants today and tomorrow. Take a look at satellite images of the Gulf and see why we think birds are trapped and may vector birds towards Florida’s west coast. From the SW coast to St. George Island, today is looking like a good day for the birder.
We also noticed a roost ring just west of Ft. Lauderdale this morning. As birds are flying out for their morning forage, radar records the group of birds flying out of the marsh. Check out these images.
Overall, winds have shifted out of the south (SSW aloft) and should have birds on the wing over the state.
Look out for new arrivals at your favorite migrant trap today. If you have time to travel, keep an eye out for reports at classic migrant traps such as Fort DeSoto, St. George Island, Sanibel Lighthouse, Key West and others. The Dry Tortugas may also be seeing some migrants today. Reports of migrants been slow out there this week. Let’s see what today brings!
Frames are every 1/2 hour. Click on the thumbnail to view the full-sized animation. 
Nature is Awesome
Angel & Mariel
Badbirdz Reloaded 
Fantastic day out at Cedar Key yesterday, had the following:
Peregrine Falcon- 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo- 1
Chuck-will’s-widow- 1
Eastern Kingbird- 13
Gray Kingbird- 5
White-eyed Vireo- 1
Red-eyed Vireo- 5
Veery- 3
Gray-cheeked Thrush- 2
Swainson’s Thrush- 2
Gray Catbird- 30+
Ovenbird- 2
Worm-eating Warbler- 1
Northern Waterthrush- 1
Black-and-white Warbler- 9
Prothonotary Warbler- 1
Tennessee Warbler- 6
Kentucky Warbler- 1
Common Yellowthroat- 2
Hooded Warbler- 3
American Redstart- 2
Northern Parula- 5
Magnolia Warbler- 1
Blackburnian Warbler- 1
Yellow Warbler- 5
Chestnut-sided Warbler- 1
Blackpoll Warbler- 4
Palm Warbler- 14
Pine Warbler- heard only
Prairie Warbler- 2
Black-throated Green Warbler- 5
Summer Tanager- 5
Scarlet Tanager- 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak- 4
Blue Grosbeak- 3
Indigo Bunting- 32
Painted Bunting- 1
Orchard Oriole- 1
Baltimore Oriole- 4
-Matt O’Sullivan
By: Matt O'Sullivan on April 22, 2015 @ 12:03 pm
at 12:03 pm